Parts of southern British Columbia could get up to 20 centimetres of snow

Winter weather is making its way back into southern B.C. with Environment Canada issuing heavy snowfall warnings for several areas.

The agency says a low-pressure system is moving into the southern part of the province starting Monday night and is expected to stay on until Tuesday, bringing up to 20 centimetres of snow in some areas.

It says the areas affected will include parts of Elk Valley, the Fraser Canyon along Highway 3, and Lytton, Boston Bar and Hope.

The highway is the only provincial access route into the Interior and remains open to essential traffic only.

Environment Canada says driving conditions may change quickly with reduced visibility because of heavy snow at times.

Metro Vancouver could also see up to five centimetres of snow overnight, although the forecasters say that will depend on elevation levels, with rain expected near the coast.